Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on October 31, 2008 From the WebMD Archives
Oct. 31, 2008 — If you’ve gotten an email warning you about Halloween candy — and chocolate coins, in particular — tainted with melamine, here’s the truth about that rumor.
On Oct. 8, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned consumers in Canada not to eat, distribute, or sell certain packages of Sherwood Brands Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins in Canada because of melamine, a chemical that artificially makes milk appear to have more protein.
In China, melamine-tainted milk has been linked to the deaths of four babies and illness in tens of thousands of other children.
The Sherwood Brands chocolate coin warning only applies to Canada, and only to Sherwood Brands Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins sold in 840-gram containers containing 240 pieces per container with the UPC code 0 36077 11240 7 and the lot code 1928S1. Those chocolates were sold in Canadian Costco stores and various dollar and bulk stores, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
“This was an insolated situation in Canada only. These coins were not sold or shipped into the U.S. market,” states a Sherwood Brands news release.
Sherwood Brands also notes that it “has not received any chocolate in the U.S. from China” since the melamine risk arose, and that all of its products shipped to Canada and the U.S. are tested for melamine before being shipped.
And if you’ve heard rumors about Cadbury’s chocolate and melamine, know that Cadbury took several products off the market in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Australia in September, but it says Cadbury’s chocolate is safe in the U.S. and other countries.
The FDA hasn’t warned about melamine risk in any Halloween candies. But the FDA has advised consumers not to eat these other products because of possible melamine contamination:
- Koala’s March Crème filled Cookies
- YILI Brand Sour Milk Drink
- YILI Brand Pure Milk Drink
- Blue Cat Flavored Drinks
- White Rabbit Candies
- Mr. Brown Mandehling Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
- Mr. Brown Arabica Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
- Mr. Brown Blue Mountain Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
- Mr. Brown Caramel Macchiato Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
- Mr. Brown French Vanilla Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
- Mr. Brown Mandheling Blend instant Coffee (2-in-1)
- Mr. Brown Milk Tea (3-in-1)
- Infant formula manufactured in China
